Judicial security concerns have escalated in the U.S. since 2020,with judges voicing worries over the impact of political rhetoric on the safety of the court system.
following the lead of some political figures, attacks against judges have become more common.
One instance involved federal judge JOHN C.COUGHENOUR, who faced threats after ruling against a presidential decree. These threats included a false report that led to police arriving at his home with weapons drawn.
COUGHENOUR’s home was also targeted with a false bomb threat, and he received numerous threatening letters.
To involve the family is really revolting. Even the mafia says that the family is out of limit!
Judge JOHN C. COUGHENOUR was the subject of threats after blocked a DONALD TRUMP decree on citizenship.
Photo: Radio-Canada
COUGHENOUR stated,I have been a judge for over 40 years and I have never been so concerned about the state of the judicial system of this country. I would like our leaders to realise the damage they cause and the risk of considerable instability represented by this attack on the judicial system
. He urged bar associations to address the issue and drew parallels to historical declines in the rule of law, such as in 1930s GERMANY and 1970s CAMBODIA.
The rise in threats and violence against judges has prompted calls for increased security measures and a more respectful public discourse.
The Impact of Words
Another federal judge, ESTHER SALAS, experienced a personal tragedy when her son, DANIEL, was murdered at their home in July 2020 by a lawyer. The lawyer, disguised as a delivery person, shot DANIEL at the doorstep, and SALAS’ husband was seriously wounded.
A photo of Federal Judge ESTHER SALAS with her late son DANIEL
Photo: Radio-Canada / LOUIS BLOUIN
SALAS recounted, I remember having run towards my son, kneeling, having lifted his shirt and seeing a ball hole.My husband returned while crawling and there, in this entrance hall, on July 19, 2020 at 5 p.m., I saw my only child disappear
.
In July 2020, a man assassinated the son of judge ESTHER SALAS at their residence.
Photo : AP / MARK LENNIHAN
In a disturbing turn, SALAS learned that her son’s death was being exploited to threaten other judges, with pizzas being delivered to their homes in DANIEL’s name. The MARSHALS service reported that at least a hundred pizzas had been sent to judges, with about twenty using her deceased son’s name.
SALAS emphasized, I would ask our political leaders to understand that the words count. Very honestly, people have to moderate their speech.
Data indicates a surge in threats against judges, with nearly 200 reported between early March and late May.
SALAS also stated, We risk big. The risk is that the American public no longer has confidence in the justice system
. She has recently received threatening communications, which are under examination.
Chief Judge’s Warning
Attacks against judges have included those who have ruled against presidential decrees.
Chief Judge of the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, JOHN ROBERTS, cautioned at a judicial conference in June, If someone expresses strong hostility towards the court, for any reason, the danger, of course, is that someone seizes it. And we had, of course, serious threats of violence and murder against judges simply as they were doing their job
, though he did not mention DONALD TRUMP by name.
In 2022, there was an attempt to assassinate Justice BRETT KAVANAUGH of the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. In 2023, a judge in MARYLAND was killed at his home, and in 2024, another was killed in a KENTUCKY courtroom.
